


Spots on a Lens

by starfleetblues



Series: When It Rains, It Pours [7]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, This one's pure fluff, whoops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-01
Updated: 2013-11-01
Packaged: 2017-12-31 04:46:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1027381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starfleetblues/pseuds/starfleetblues
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The next time they chatted, Jim was in a significantly sulkier mood. After he answered another one of Leo’s questions with an indifferent shrug, Leo sighed.</p><p>“Okay kid, if you’re gonna break up with me, just do it. I know you well enough to know when something’s wrong with you, so spit it out.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Spots on a Lens

**Author's Note:**

> This one's pure fluff and I have no excuse for it. I also just really love Jim and Carol as best friends even though I know they're canonically together and it's probably they're going to be canon in the next new!Trek film. Also, you can't convince me that you didn't see what happens to Jim coming a mile away, because it's super cliche but I love it anyway.  
> As always, I still don't own any part of Star Trek, including these characters.

The next time they chatted, Jim was in a significantly sulkier mood. After he answered another one of Leo’s questions with an indifferent shrug, Leo sighed.

“Okay kid, if you’re gonna break up with me, just do it. I know you well enough to know when something’s wrong with you, so spit it out.”

“I gotta get glasses,” Jim mumbled into the screen. “Don’t laugh!”

“I’m sorry,” Leo spluttered, “but I thought it was something really bad!”

“Glasses are bad!”

“Why the hell are you so against getting glasses, kid?”

Jim muttered something about being picked on, and Leo sighed, pressing his palm flat to the computer screen. “Dammit, Jim. You’re not gonna get picked on. And if you do, you’ll probably just punch them in the face.”

Jim chuckled. “Prob’ly. You know me too well, Bones.”

“I’m the only one who’ll take care of you. Now, what about your classes?”

Jim’s face lit up again. “Oh my god Bones, this year is so damn easy. Well, the double English isn’t fun, but I can handle it. Health is a joke class, especially after spending so much time with you, and the world history class is easy as pie. The teacher, Galhbechk’s new this year though, and she hates my guts.”

Leo rolled his eyes. “Can’t imagine why.”

Jim stuck his tongue out at the screen. “You love me. Oh, that reminds me- H’ohk told me to say hello next time we talked.”

Leo was unsurprised. “Are you still eating in his room?”

Jim nodded. “Yep- Carol and I eat there every day, and Scotty pops in pretty often to ask about techniques for his engineering projects. Carol loves it.”

Leo laughed. “That’s good. I take it she’s nicer to him than her dad?”

Jim nodded. “Oh, yeah. Supposedly, Scotty corrected his math on the first day of school during an example and Marcus hates his guts now. At least, that’s what Scotty and Carol have told me. But what about you? How’s college?”

Leo shrugged. “It’s not too bad, actually. The anatomy first thing sucks, but it’s no big. My other classes are so easy it should be a crime, but no one else is passing them. Smartest kids in their classes, and they’re not even passing in the pre-med program.”

“I’m proud of you, Bones. I really am, you know that?”

“I’m proud of you too, kid.”

They chatted about trivial things and just enjoyed themselves until Jim realized with a start that it was midnight. Blowing a kiss towards the laptop screen, he crawled into the blankets, significantly less stressed about his glasses than he was before. 

 

After his classes were done the next day, Winona picked him up from school and drove him back to the optometrist, where he apprehensively tried the glasses on again to see how well they corrected his vision. He’d never admit it to his mother or the tech trying to surreptitiously slip her number into his hand, but he actually liked the thick black frames and how they clashed with his carefully mussed blond hair. Yeah, they were kinda sexy and Bones would love them. As he left the office, his phone chirped to indicate a text message. Pulling the slider phone out of his pocket, Jim laughed as the screen told him it was Carol texting.

‘Did you get them yet?’

‘Just left the office. Still not gonna send you a pic.’

‘You’re lame. Want to come over? Dad’s making burgers and I can help you with history and we can do English together.’

Jim pondered before tapping out a reply. ‘Maybe. I’ll see if it’s okay with mom. Text you later.’

Since Bones had left, Jim found he needed a person in his life that he cared about to make him laugh and keep him company. Surprisingly, Carol had fit into that slot perfectly and he enjoyed her company immensely. She lived a block away from him and had the same free periods and lunch, so it wasn’t uncommon for them to walk home together or pop over to each other’s house to work on homework or papers or just hang out on the weekends. She was passionate about history, only slightly less so than physics, and she was Ms. Gahlbechk’s TA for Jim’s period. It was a good fit for them to be closer this year, and Jim loved her as a friend. 

He ended up walking over after Winona asked if he had plans, and when he mentioned that Mr. Marcus was making burgers and Carol had invited him over, she practically shoved him out of the front door with his backpack in hand. They had curled up on her floor in their customary positions, head to head so they could chat. Tonight, she’d occasionally reach over to snatch the glasses off his face and try them on. He’d laugh and snatch them back, and she’d fake pout.

“I take it you like them, then?” Jim finally asked after she stole them again.

She nodded, the too-big glasses wobbling on her face. “They suit you.”

He grinned and reached over, tapping her on the nose before taking the specs back so his eyes could focus on the history textbook. “What’s on tomorrow’s test, mainly?”

“Greek cultures- traditions, roles of women in society, the geography, the religion, and the agriculture. Shouldn’t be too hard, but knowing Gahlbechk it’ll be worded really badly.” She reached over and pulled the book out from under his nose. “Here, I’ll quiz you,” she said as she turned the pages to the review at the end of the chapter. 

“Thanks,” Jim said, running a hand through his hair. “You’re the best.”

He returned home closer to 10 pm than 9, but Winona didn’t mind and all of his homework was done, the tests studied for, so he felt pretty good. Dropping his bag and pulling on sweatpants, he checked his laptop quickly for any messages, unsurprised to find a missed message from Leo.

‘Did you get the glasses yet? Send me a photo, but I’m sure they’re great. Still miss you. Bones x’

Laughing, Jim typed out a quick reply. ‘Got ‘em, but you’re gonna have to wait until this weekend to see. Can’t wait to see you! Jim x’

The little ‘x’s by the signature were their way of assuring the other that everything was okay, a little kiss for the other a hundred miles away. A little piece of their heart in every exchanged message.

It was Jim's favorite part of sending the messages.

**Author's Note:**

> I'M SO GLAD Y'ALL KEEP ENJOYING THIS. I'm spoiling y'all by posting this Friday, and I'll put another up Sunday if I have time, but no promises. I'm also kinda in class still, so I won't be able to answer comments for seven hours or so, due to swim practice and a party after that. Thanks for keeping reading! Y'all are the best ever.


End file.
